Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the study population.
| Healthy volunteers n = 76 |
Acute decompensated HFREF n = 72 |
Ambulatory chronic HFREF n = 78 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 42 ± 16 | 67 ± 11 | 66 ± 12 |
| Male gender | 51% | 76% | 77% |
| Heart rate (bpm) | 68 ± 11 | 81 ± 19 | 66 ± 10 |
| Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 130 ± 17 | 128 ± 23 | 124 ± 17 |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 76 ± 10 | 71 ± 15 | 63 ± 12 |
| Ischemic cardiomyopathy | N/A | 58% | 62% |
| Left ventricular ejection fraction (%) | 65 ± 6 | 25 ± 10 | 33 ± 7 |
| Medical therapy | |||
| ACE-i/ARB use (%) | 0 | 50% | 87% |
| ⩽50% of target dose | 35% | 47% | |
| >50% of target dose | 15% | 40% | |
| (100% of target dose) | 11% | 38% | |
| Beta-blocker use (%) | 0 | 72% | 97% |
| ⩽50% of target dose | 57% | 45% | |
| >50% of target dose | 15% | 52% | |
| (100% of target dose) | 11% | 52% | |
| MRA use (%) | 0 | 49% | 81% |
| Loop diuretic use (%) | 0 | 64% | 49% |
| Hydralazine/nitrate use (%) | 0 | 26% | 8% |
| Laboratory results | |||
| Creatinine (mg/dl) | 0.93 ± 0.21 | 1.43 ± 0.68 | 1.29 ± 0.51 |
| NT-proBNP (ng/l) | 47 (30; 73) | 4011 (2018; 10,608) | 608 (271; 1407) |
| PRA (ng/ml/h) | 1.4 (0.6; 2.3) | 1.5 (0.8; 5.7) | 7.6 (2.2; 18.1) |
| Plasma aldosterone (ng/l) | 247 (165; 346) | 179 (134; 292) | 213 (144; 374) |
ACE-i: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB: angiotensin receptor blocker; bpm: beats per minute; HFREF: heart failure with reduced ejection fraction; MRA: mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist; NT-proBNP: N-terminal of the prohormone of B-type natriuretic peptide; NYHA: New York Heart Association; PRA: plasma renin activity.